Persevere
by EpicBuffalo
Summary: Sequel to Fading Fast! Still helping Gold recover from the effects of the cure, the Pokédex Holders must try to find Silver while holding off attacks from Team Rocket. But with one friend now an enemy, can everyone be saved? Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the first chapter of Persevere! I couldn't leave you all hanging after the end of Fading Fast, so here you go! Hopefully this one'll turn out okay, but I bet a lot of people won't like the ending. But no spoilers :) **

**Naturally, as with all sequels, I recommend you read Fading Fast if you haven't already. Though granted, this story isn't really that complex, so I'm sure you'd be able to pick it up pretty quickly. Your choice :)**

**Anyway. I thought this one turned out pretty well, hope you guys like it :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Persevere

**Chapter One**

The screen flicked off and Giovanni turned to his son, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Things are moving along perfectly. Don't you think so, Silver?"

The red-haired boy hesitated. "Um, yes, sir."

Giovanni's grin faded and was replaced by a frown. "Why the hesitation? There's no way those kids will be able to stop us. Everything has been planned to the last detail, and everything that could go wrong has been taken into account. There will be nothing anyone can do."

Silver nodded silently, watching as his father walked across the room and picked out a folder from a filing cabinet. Giovanni stepped back toward his son and slapped the folder loudly on the table. "I've worked too long and too hard for this all to go to waste! Do you have any idea what I went through to get you back?! …Of course you don't." He stared Silver straight in the eyes, his voice lowering to a menacing growl. "I've waited years to be able to go forward with this. It's all for you, Silver. One day you'll see that."

Giovanni took a step back and pointed at the folder. "There's information in there on each of the people you were with before I found you. We've got to be prepared for them, Silver. We weren't in the past. Somehow they always manage to perform some _miracle_ and fix everything. That ends now."

Silver flipped open the thick folder and sifted through the pages. There were colour photos of several people who appeared to be about his age, some maybe slightly older. There were detailed summaries of their teams and special skills- each of them appeared to be gifted in different aspects of Pokémon. Silver wondered why Giovanni was so determined to stop them. They all seemed like nice enough people, in his opinion.

Giovanni's face shifted again, this time to a sad smile. He seemed to sense his son's hesitation at hating these people. "They never wanted you to be happy, Silver. How could they, when they kept you away from the only family you have? All they care about is doing what they think is best, no matter who it hurts. They'll try to hunt you down and take you back, and feed you lies about being your friends so you'll go with them."

Silver noted that his father's face changed to an odd grin that gave him a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. The man continued. "You'll probably be tempted to go with them, too. But for what? So they can oppress you and keep you from doing anything worthwhile? They've always been against you. It's time to take them out before they can destroy everything we've worked for. Will you help me, Silver?"

Silver's gaze fixed on the man's eyes as the boy mulled over all he'd just been told. If these people were really as horrible as his father made them out to be, they deserved to be taken out, right? But… His eyes travelled back to the folder, still open on the table. The smiling faces of the people who were supposedly so against him beamed at him. They didn't seem like evil people… But if they were going to try to stop his father's goal from being accomplished, they'd have to deal with the consequences. "Yes," he said finally. "Yes, I'll help you."

"Good," Giovanni said, grin widening. "I'm glad to hear it. This is for the greater good, Silver. You'll see that one day. I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Gold yawned and stretched his arms, throwing the covers off himself as he got out of bed. He'd been staying at Professor Elm's lab since he'd lost him memory (or so everyone told him; it seemed likely, though, seeing as he couldn't remember anything from before a couple of days ago). He scratched his head and placed his cap over his dark, messy hair.

Everyone had convinced him to try wearing it- they said he'd worn it before he'd lost his memory. He'd been reluctant; he wanted to discover his own personality, decide who he was for himself, but he'd finally agreed and tried it. He'd rarely been seen without it since.

He walked out into the main room, expecting to find it empty, but to his surprise a girl he'd seen often lately and her green Pokémon were straightening up around the lab. The girl spun around when she heard footsteps.

"Hi, Gold!" she greeted cheerfully, a sincere smile on her face.

"Hi, uh…" He thought for a moment, trying to put her face to a name. He'd had to learn quite a few rather quickly. "Crys?" Her smile widened and she nodded. "And Mega, right?"

"That's right!" She put some folders into a desk drawer and turned to him. "You're making a lot of progress. That's great!"

Gold nodded with an amused grin as she started gathering more papers into another folder. "Why are you here so often?" he asked bluntly. She stopped what she was doing and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "Am I bothering you? I didn't realize, I-"

Gold cut her off, slightly bewildered at her outburst. "Whoa, slow down! You aren't bothering me, I was just wondering why you'd want to spend so much time here with me."

Crys lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact. When she spoke, her voice was quiet. "You're my best friend. I want to help you get better."

Gold's face softened. "Really?"

She nodded. "We've been through a lot, Gold, even if you don't remember it. I hate that this had to happen to you, and…" She shrugged. "I just want you to be the same Gold you used to be."

They stood in silence after her confession, Gold deep in thought and Crys with her gaze still trained on the ground and her arms wrapped around Mega's neck. Suddenly she said, "I'm sorry, I… I have to go." She headed for the lab doors, Mega trailing behind. "Bye, Gold."

Before she could close the door, Gold called, "Hey, Crys?"

She poked her head back in. "Yeah?"

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

She grinned. "Sure."

* * *

Silver followed Giovanni as he entered a large, open room. The walls were covered in charts and pictures, and a whiteboard at the front detailed Giovanni's plan.

Giovanni had insisted that Silver know each step of the mission from beginning to end, and had led him to the central hub where each piece was carefully laid out. "We've been gathering forces for years," Giovanni explained. "It's actually rather easy. And now, even when someone _does_ try to go against us, sheer numbers will prevent them from getting far."

"So what exactly are you planning to do?" Silver asked timidly, taken aback by the multitude of things plastered to the walls.

Giovanni smiled widely, and Silver had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he heard. "We're going to capture all the world's rarest Pokémon so that we may summon the being of creation, Arceus."

Silver's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Giovanni placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You'll find out why in time, Silver. For now, we must get going. We've got Legendary Birds to capture."


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to chapter 2! I never really got this one to sound like I wanted, but I think it's okay. I kinda like the last part. I don't think I wrote Green very well, but at least he talks :) Also, sorry if Silver's a little TOO evil. You'll see what I mean.**

**This is officialy the longest chapter yet, just a tiny bit bigger than chapter 3 of Fading Fast. Yay me :) **

**Also, I forgot the disclaimer last chapter. So, I DO NOT own Pokémon Special. Not like anybody thought I did :)**

**And on a final note, I finished the FRLG and Emerald arcs of Special, and I read the first few chapters of DP. They were all epic, of course :)**

**I think that's everything. Now, on with chapter 2! **

**Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Two**

"Hurry up, Yellow! We'll miss our chance!"

Yellow sighed and jogged to catch up with Blue, who was hurrying along the busy streets of Goldenrod City. The older girl ducked into an alley and pulled Yellow behind her, hiding them from the view of the two men they were following.

Blue had overheard them talking about Team Rocket, and naturally that had piqued her interest. Ever since Silver had been taken away Blue had dedicated herself to finding him, spending many hours and several sleepless nights searching for any lead to Team Rocket.

She'd dragged Yellow along, too, much to the younger girl's chagrin. Though normally she'd be glad to help, it seemed like they were getting nowhere. Up until this point, they'd had almost nothing to go on. They'd spent several days searching aimlessly, and each day it seemed to get more and more hopeless- for Yellow, at least. Blue was just as dedicated as ever. Yellow admired her for that- she wouldn't give up until she found Silver.

But now, standing in the alley and spying on these men, Yellow couldn't help but get excited. This could be exactly the lead they had been looking for. Blue leaned up against the wall, straining her ears to listen to their conversation.

"Can you hear them?" Yellow asked, a small grin on her face.

"Yeah… A little. Something about… the Seafoam Islands?" She listened for a moment. "Yeah, the Seafoam Islands, and Articuno." She paused again, listening, and her eyes grew wide.

"What?" Yellow asked, feeling horribly out of the loop. "What are they saying?"

"They're going to the Seafoam Islands," Blue told her. "They're going to try to capture Articuno!"

* * *

"Poli! Ice Beam!" Red watched as his Poliwrath fired a perfect frozen beam toward his opponent.

"Golduck, Hydro Pump!" Green commanded. The blue duck Pokémon opened his beak, shooting a powerful spray toward the Ice Beam. The water froze and fell harmlessly to the ground. "Now, Water Pul-" But he was cut off by a loud ringing coming from Red's pocket.

Red grinned sheepishly, pulling out his PokéGear. Green put a hand to his forehead in annoyance. "Every time!" He grumbled. "_Every time_ we have a battle we get interrupted."

Red laughed and answered the device. "Hey, Blue. Yeah, Green's here…" Green raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" Red's voice rose slightly. "Okay, we'll be there as soon as we can. Yeah, thanks." Red put the PokéGear back in his pocket.

"Looks like our battle's gonna have to be cut short again," he told his friend with a shrug.

"What does she want now?" Green asked, irritation clear in his voice.

"She said she heard two guys talking, and Team Rocket's going to attack the Seafoam Islands to try to capture Articuno." Not another word was said as Poli and Golduck were recalled and Aero and Charizard were released. With a flapping of wings and a cloud of dust, they were off for the Seafoam Islands.

* * *

Blue sighed, placing her PokéGear back into her pocket. She trusted Red and Green to stop Team Rocket's attack, but she wanted to go and help. Instead, she turned to watch the men they'd been spying on.

They remained where they'd been before, just standing there talking. They laughed and joked like old friends. Blue's eyes narrowed. _What are they up to?_

"Blue?" Yellow asked quietly. "What's the matter?"

"I don't trust them," Blue admitted. "They can't just _conveniently _know Team Rocket's plans."

Yellow looked slightly worried. "So we're going to keep an eye on them?"

Blue nodded. "Exactly."

Yellow sighed and peeked around the alley wall. One of the men reached into his pocket to answer a PokéGear, listened for a moment, and smiled. Yellow was pretty sure she heard "Sure thing, Boss!" before the man put the PokéGear back into his pocket, nudged his friend and started walking briskly away.

"Come on, Yellow!" She barely had time to register that Blue had spoken before she felt the older girl grab her arm and pull her along. Yellow sighed again. _Some things never change._

* * *

Charizard and Aero arrived at the Seafoam Islands in good time. Red and Green stared suspiciously around the uneven ground, seeing no signs of the infamous Team Rocket.

"It doesn't look like they're here," Red muttered, more to himself than to his friend.

Green, however, pointed a finger forward. "There!" As if to prove his point, a bone-chilling screech rose from over a ridge, and an incredible, ice-blue bird came flying toward them.

"Articuno!" Red shouted, just as dozens of people dressed in black uniforms came chasing after it. "Aero, Hyper Beam!" Aero opened his large jaws, revealing razor-sharp teeth. An orange glow rose from his throat, and seconds later the beam was fired, halting the Rockets in their tracks.

Articuno cried gratefully, but the victory was short lived. An ear-splitting sound rose in the distance, and a fleet of helicopters came flying toward them at incredible speeds. One of them carried a large container-looking object dangling from several thick chains. It placed the container several yards away from Red and Green and stayed hovering above it.

The others chased after Articuno, attempting to draw it toward the one that had landed. Once Red figured out their plan he shouted, "Go, Aero! Stop them!" Aero screeched his agreement and took off, blasting powerful beams at the helicopters. After receiving a glance and a nod from Green Charizard flew up too, shooting white-hot flames from his jaws.

The helicopter that stayed hovering opened and a figure they were startled to see descended a ladder that went all the way down the giant container and to the ground. He began walking toward them, a determined (if angry) look on his face.

"S-Silver?" Red stuttered, not believing what he was seeing.

Silver ignored him. "Why are you here?"

Red snapped out of his stupor and declared, "To stop you from taking Articuno."

Silver grinned. "Good luck. Even if you did, we'd still have Zapdos and Moltres. Losing Articuno today would just be a bit of a setback."

"All three!?" Red gaped. "Why are you doing this?" Green tensed beside him.

"Because it's what my father wants. And you're not going to stop us." He stared Red directly in the eyes. "You're not going to lie to me anymore."

"Lie…?" Red began questioningly, but an explosion and a loud cry of pain interrupted him. He and Green spun around to see Aero falling to the ground, battered and smoking. In the air, a powerful-looking Salamence was pummelling Charizard into submission. Not far behind, a Dragonite watched, looking annoyed at not being needed.

The Salamence slammed Charizard with one more Iron Tail, then flew back, letting Dragonite deal the finishing blow- a job the orange dragon took gladly. It opened its mouth, took a deep breath, and fired and impressive line of blue fire- Dragonbreath.

Charizard soon suffered the same fate as Aero, plummeting to the ground and landing with a loud crash. Salamence and Dragonite grinned at each other, then fixed their eyes on Red and Green, as if daring them to try something else.

A terrified cry averted their attention yet again, and they turned just in time to see Articuno being locked into the container- a cage.

"_No_!" Red cried, shaking. "Let it go!"

Silver grinned. "I told you. You're not going to mess things up for my father anymore. We win."

"Not yet you don't," Red growled dangerously.

Silver shrugged. "We'll see. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting to my next mission."

"'Next'? Red repeated, his voice quiet and almost breaking. Silver ignored him and climbed back into the helicopter.

Watching the helicopters pick up the rest of the Rockets and fly off, Red collapsed. He stared disbelieving, not ready to accept he'd lost like this.

He shot back up suddenly, startling Green. "Aero!" He ran with what strength he had to his fallen comrade.

Aero lay in a crater made by his own impact, whimpering quietly. "Oh, Aero…" Red kneeled beside him, and the Pokémon lifted his head weakly, attempting a smile. He petted Aero's head, then returned him to his Poké Ball.

Behind him Green had just finished putting Charizard back into his Poké Ball. "What now?" Green asked quietly, coming to stand beside his friend.

"We get everyone together," Red replied. "We make a plan, and we beat them. Just like we always do. They won't get away with this. They _can't_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome to chapter 3! This should've been up, like, yesterday, but I couldn't sign in and then today it wouldn't let me upload :( Ah well. I think it's pretty good though, so hopefully it was worth the wait :) I'm not really sure about the first part though, and the ending doesn't sound the way I wanted. Oh well :)**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews and favourites and stuff. It's great motivation :) I'll do my best not to disappoint! **

**And now, on with chapter 3.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Gold sat on the back steps of Professor Elm's lab, watching as his Pokémon played in the warm sun. He looked at each one in turn, pausing to try to remember their names. He sighed, frustrated, when he got stuck on a large, blue Pokémon with a tan belly.

Crys sat down beside him, apparently having just finished whatever job she'd been doing in the lab. She watched him stare at Explotaro, a blank look on his face.

"Explotaro," she said, keeping her gaze on the field where Gold's Pokémon played.

"Huh?" He snapped out of his daze and looked at her.

"Explotaro," she repeated. "That's his name. That's what you were trying to remember, right?"

Gold nodded. "Yeah, thanks." As if he sensed he was being talked about, Explotaro padded over to them. "Explotaro, huh?" He petted the Pokémon's head. "I don't even remember where we met."

"You got him from Professor Elm," Crys told him. "Silver stole his Totodile, and you took Explotaro to get him back."

Gold seemed to think about this as he continued to pet Explotaro. Suddenly his face darkened. "This sucks." Crys and Explotaro looked at him in surprise.

"What?" Crys asked in confusion.

"I can't even remember by best friends. People shouldn't have to tell me about my life." Unable to think of anything to say, Crys remained silent.

* * *

Not long after Surfing back to mainland Kanto, Red and Green arrived at the Pokémon Centre. They gave Aero and Charizard to the nurse on duty and sat in the waiting room, their minds still on the battle at the Seafoam Islands.

_That wasn't a battle_, Red thought dejectedly. _That implies we had some kind of a chance. _

The TV mounted high in a corner showed a cooking show, with a round man in an apron demonstrating how to make cheesecake. Suddenly the show was interrupted, replaced by a frazzled-looking woman sitting at a news desk.

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to being you this breaking news. Sources say well-known criminal gang Team Rocket is gathering on the outskirts of Lavender Town." Red, brought out of his daze, stared intently at the TV. Beside him, Green did the same. The image on the screen switched to a grainy video, showing a sea of black uniforms and vehicles. There was a small army of powerful-looking Pokémon awaiting orders.

"This video was shot by an onlooker at the scene," the newscaster continued, speaking over the video. "Team Rocket's motives are unknown at this time, but police are urging everyone to keep away from the area." The woman returned to the screen. "We now return to our regularly scheduled programming."

Red and Green were out of their chairs as soon as the report was over. They headed for the doors, but were stopped by the nurse.

"Um, it'll take a little longer than expected," she informed them timidly.

"That's okay," Red replied, backing out the door. Green was already outside. "We'll be back for them later!" He let the door swing shut, leaving a very confused nurse staring after him. He ran to join Green, who was standing on the east coast of the island. "How do we get there?"

Green pointed to the water with his thumb. "We Surf."

"All that way!?" Red groaned. "That'll take forever!"

Green ignored him, taking off on Golduck. Sighing, Red released Gyara and followed.

* * *

Blue and Yellow followed the men to a clearing in the middle of a small forest. They flew above them so as not to be seen, Kitty clutching Yellow's back and Blue gripping her Wigglytuff's foot. They hid up in a tree and watched, silent.

Blue's eyes widened and Yellow had to hold back a gasp as dozens of men in black uniforms appeared from the shadows. Several Pokémon, mostly Water-type, looked ready to fight. A large crate-like box was in one corner of the clearing.

"What are they doing?" Yellow whispered in confusion.

Blue opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when she saw one person in particular- someone she never thought she'd see working for Team Rocket.

Yellow watched her in confusion, then followed her gaze. This time she couldn't hold back her gasp. "Silver!?"

* * *

After an agonizingly long trip around Kanto's southern coast, Red and Green finally arrived at the docks not far from Lavender Town. Skipping the usual 'job-well-done' speech, they simply recalled their Pokémon and took off at a run. They shoved past the crown gathering in the city, likely there because of Team Rocket's presence, and Red muttered half-hearted apologies. Finally, they were through.

The scene was much the same as it had been on TV, with many Rockets and Pokémon that looked to be waiting for something. A large, odd-looking machine with many buttons and lights and a big, red 'R' sat in the middle of the chaos, surrounded by Rockets to protect it.

Red pulled out a Poké Ball. "If we surprise them, maybe we'll get the advantage," he whispered to Green, who nodded with a smirk on his face. "Poli! Water Gun!" Poli popped out of his Poké Ball in a flash, sending a powerful spray of water that knocked down several Rockets.

"Zap Cannon!" Green's Porygon2 gathered electricity for a moment, then launched it toward the Rockets. The ones hit collapsed in a heap.

Several of the conscious Rockets sent out their Pokémon- these included a Golbat, Primeape, Quagsire, Ninjask and Houndoom, among others. Red and Green, and of course Poli and Porygon2, battled furiously, not stopping their attacks for even a moment.

"Poli, Focus Punch!" The attack defeated a Grumpig, but it was replaced almost immediately by a Camerupt, which Poli's Water attacks defeated just as quickly. "This is ridiculous," Red grumbled. "Pika! Saur!" He tossed two Poké Balls, and two more of his Pokémon appeared. Beside him, Green seemed to agree, releasing Rhydon and Scizor.

While the six Pokémon distracted the vast majority of the Rockets, Red and Green ran to the machine, now unguarded. "We should destroy it," Red announced, and Green nodded.

"I'd advise against that," a familiar voice said, and Red and Green spun around. Their eyes widened, then narrowed again.

"Giovanni," Red spat. "What are you doing here?"

"Fulfilling my life's ambition," he informed vaguely, grinning. "We're here for Mew."

"Mew?" Green asked. "How do you know it's going to be here?"

"We've been following its psychic signature," the Team Rocket leader told them. "This machine will disrupt its powers so we can capture it." His grin widened. "But now that you know that, I'll just have to defeat you." He pulled a Poké Ball out of his pocket, and his Beedrill appeared in a flash.

"Red," Green whispered, pulling out a Poké Ball of his own. "You destroy that machine. I'll hold him off." Red nodded as Green released his Machamp. "Karate Chop!"

Turning quickly, Red released Lax. "Okay, Lax. We need to destroy this! Headbutt!" Lax lowered his head and charged into the machine, barely denting it. "Strength!"

As Red and Lax continued trying to destroy the machine, Giovanni and Green continued their battle. A flash and a shift in the wind made Giovanni turn his head, just in time to see a blur of pink.

"Mew!" Giovanni exclaimed. The small, cat-like Pokémon turned briefly, then attempted to disappear almost as soon as it had arrived. Mew's eyes closed and its forehead scrunched up as if it was in pain, and it seemed unable to move.

"Now, Lax! Mega Punch!" With a powerful swing of his arm, Lax smashed his fist into the machine, finally destroying it. With the disturbance gone, Mew disappeared.

Giovanni stared, disbelieving, at where Mew had been just moments before. "Come on," Red whispered, recalling Lax. "Let's go!" Green nodded and recalled Machamp. Quickly they gathered their worn and battered Pokémon, then headed for the docks, ignoring the pats on the back from the grateful crowd. "We'll go get Aero and Charizard," Red decided, climbing on Gyara's back. "Then we'll go see everyone in New Bark Town. We need a plan."

* * *

Blue placed a hand over her mouth in disbelief as Silver entered the clearing. "He's _working_ for them now?" she whispered to herself.

"I wonder what they're doing," Yellow said thoughtfully. "There's an awful lot of Rockets here."

"And one of them is Silver!" Blue cried, and their cover was almost blown when several Rockets glanced toward the trees. Thankfully, they remained unseen.

"He must've lost his memory like Gold," Yellow suggested. They sat in silence for a few heartbeats, Blue watching Silver sadly and Yellow trying to discover what they were doing. Her face scrunched up in concentration as she listened. "Entei…?" she whispered. She kept listening, then let out a gasp. "They're going to capture Entei!"

Blue's eyes narrowed. "No they're not. Sing!" Wigglytuff, sitting on a branch above them, nodded. Blue and Yellow put their hands over their ears as a soothing melody floated from the pink Pokémon's mouth. Before any of them could react, the Rockets- Silver included- toppled over, asleep, as did their Pokémon.

Wigglytuff and Kitty helped their trainers to the ground, where they made their way to the box. Blue glanced sadly at Silver, then called out Blasty. "Mega Punch!" With a well aimed punch, the box- a cage- short-circuited, creating a small explosion.

Blue turned, heading in Silver's direction. "We can take him back with us," Blue said, sounding much happier. "It might be hard, 'cause I'll have to hold him, but-" She stopped, eyes widening.

Scooping Silver into its arms was a Dragonite, and in the air behind it was a Salamence. Shooting Blue and Yellow a glance, the orange dragon took off into the sky, Salamence following behind it. Before long they were out of sight. Blue and Yellow stared after them, dumbfounded. Suddenly, as if she'd lost all her strength, Blue dropped to her knees. Yellow took a step toward her, but stopped, unsure of what she could do. Blue's sobs echoed through the forest.


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to chapter 4! Sorry for the delay :) I've had the first part written for a while, but for some reason I couldn't sit down and write the rest. I put it off for a while, but for the last few days I've been writing little bits. Though really, it wasn't THAT long of a wait, right? Especially since last chapter was really long by my standards. **

**Anyway, once the summer's over updates will more than likely slow down. Just a warning :)**

**Hope you like this one. The ending's kind of abrupt, though. Oh well :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Four

The television blared in the background as Oak joined Elm at the table. The two professors sat in silence as they watched, shaking their heads from time to time in disbelief. The cameras showed the Seafoam Islands and the outskirts of Lavender Town, and various other places touched by Team Rocket's evil.

Hearing noises outside, they tore their gazes away from the TV to investigate. Peering out the window, they saw Red and Green, as well as Aero and Charizard, just arriving outside the lab. The two entered moments later after recalling their Pokémon.

No one said a word as they sat at the table and continued to watch the news.

Gold and Crys remained on the back steps of the lab, staring out at the Pokémon in the field as they enjoyed the good weather. Crys' Pokémon had joined Gold's, and the two watched quietly until Gold noticed something in the sky.

"Hey, what's that?" he asked, pointing. Crys looked up and squinted. She could make out a person dangling from something pink and balloon-like, and another seemed to sprout wings of their own.

"That's just Yellow and Blue," Crys told him, standing to meet them. Apparently seeing them the two descended, landing just in front of them in the field.

"Hey guys!" Yellow greeted, smiling cheerfully, though Crys noticed something in her eyes that said she wasn't as happy as she seemed. Blue remained silent, attempting a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Crys gave them a concerned look. "What's the matter?"

Yellow glanced briefly at Blue, then began to wring her hands nervously. "Um, maybe we should wait until we're inside." Gold and Crys shot each other confused looks as they followed Blue and Yellow into the lab.

"Okay," Crys began once everyone was seated. The news droned on in the background. "What's going on?" Red glanced at Green and Yellow looked to Blue. The professors seemed to share Gold and Crys' confusion.

Red began. "We were at the Seafoam Islands," he said, gesturing to himself and Green. "Team Rocket was there trying to capture Articuno." He tapped his finger in rhythm subconsciously on the table. "And we were losing, and then… the helicopter, and…"

"Silver." All eyes but Yellow's turned to Blue, unsure if they'd heard her whisper correctly. Yellow kept her eyes trained on the table.

Red nodded sadly. "Yeah. You fought him too?"

At Blue and Yellow's confirmation, Crys said, "Wait, what? Silver's working for Team Rocket?" The professors looked equally troubled, while Gold raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who's Silver?"

The group gathered at the table exchanged sad looks. No one spoke, unable to find words, until Elm said, "He was your best friend, before… You know." Gold nodded, sorry he'd asked when he saw everyone's downcast eyes.

Behind them, the newscaster continued the story about Team Rocket. Forgetting the previous conversation, they all turned to listen.

"New reports state that forces are gathering in Mahogany Town and the Whirl Islands," the man was saying. "It is unclear exactly what they want, but the most popular theories involve Ho-Oh and Lugia."

Red snorted at the obviousness of the statement. Shaking his head, he turned from the TV. "Well?"

Beside him, Green nodded. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Blue asked. "It's probably not a good idea to go to the Whirl Islands."

"Then we'll go to Mahogany Town," Red decided, standing. Crys headed to gather up her Pokémon from the field.

Gold stared in confusion, then stood, slapping his hands on the table in determination. "Let me help!"

They all stopped what they were doing, turning to look at Gold. "Are you sure?" Crys asked, taking a few steps toward him.

Gold nodded. "Positive."

They pondered in silence for a moment, then Red grinned and nodded. "We can use all the help we can get."

Gold gripped the billiard cue tightly as Mantaro shot through the air, powered by a team of Remoraid. "Is this how I usually get around?" he called to Crys, who was in the air beside him.

Crys held back a laugh at how nervous and unsure he looked. "All the time," she told him.

Soon they arrived in Mahogany Town. Red led the charge through the deserted streets, taking them toward the ancient towers in the northern part of the town. Crys held back a gasp at seeing the sea of black uniforms surrounding the Tin Tower, where Ho-Oh rested.

Red, of course, was already pulling out Poké Balls. "Poli, Hydro Pump!" Before any of the Rockets could react, a huge blast of water crashed into them. Ones who weren't hit or were quick to react began releasing Pokémon, and the battle was on.

The battle was fairly even for quite a while. Waves of Rockets called out Pokémon, and each wave was defeated. The enemy Pokémon weren't the only ones taking damage, though; Crys could see Mega struggling from the force of an attack he couldn't dodge.

The others didn't seem to be faring much better, from what Crys could see. Red's and Green's Pokémon, despite their initial energy, were very tired, still not rested from their last battle. She could barely see anyone else; Pika and Chuchu attacked desperately before being hidden in the chaos. Blasty toppled to the ground with a crash. A few feet from herself, Crys could see Ataro scrambling away from a vicious-looking opponent.

Turning back to her own Pokémon, Crys called, "Arckee! Flamethrower!" She could barely see Arckee anymore; there was a flash of orange quickly hidden by an enemy Pokémon. She hoped he heard.

Above the roar of battle, she heard a familiar voice call, "Yellow! Look out!" A dull thud, barely noticeable, followed, then a cry of "Red!" Not far away, Crys saw Gold turn toward the sound, too.

"Come on!" she called. "Let's see what happened!" At Gold's nod they made their way as fast as they could to where they believed their other teammates to be.

Crys gasped in shock upon arrival. Red lay on the ground, blood seeping from a wound on his shoulder. Yellow knelt next to him, tears falling endlessly down her face. Blue looked horrified.

"We have to go," Green was saying. "He needs help." Red's feeble protests fell upon deaf ears as they each gathered their Pokémon. With a stab of guilt, Crys realized they'd failed. _We couldn't save Ho-Oh!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome to chapter five! I'm really sorry about the delay! I thought it would be a while, but I didn't think it would be almost a month! No idea when the next one will be up. Soon, hopefully :)**

**Not a lot of action in this chapter, but I thought it was pretty good. Next chapter will be way more exciting (hopefully) AND there'll be a few more characters. Hopefully I won't mess them up :)**

**Oh, by the way, if there's any Pokémon you'd like to see (briefly) in a battle, feel free to let me know. I hate picking them, but I DO need them. The only ones I won't use are starters, their evolutions and legendaries. So yeah :) **

**Anyway, I guess that's all from me. Again, sorry for the delay :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Five

Green sighed and rubbed his eyes, tired and irritated. They were no closer to figuring out what Team Rocket wanted, and now they'd captured Ho-Oh and Lugia. To make matters worse, Red now lay unconscious from a wound suffered in the battle they'd just lost.

Blue was seated beside him deep in thought. Crys and Gold sat across the table, engaged in a quiet conversation. Oak and Elm joined them moments later after checking Red's condition. Yellow had gone to sit with Red, still feeling guilty about the injury- she felt it was her fault.

"What happened?" Oak asked, eyeing them each in turn.

Blue spoke up first. "We lost."

Oak's gaze turned sympathetic. "What happened to Red?" Gold and Crys stopped talking and looked up, apparently wondering the same thing.

Blue shrugged. "I just heard Yellow, I didn't see-"

"He pushed Yellow out of the way," Green interrupted. "An attack was headed right for her and he pushed her out of the way."

"How is he?" Blue asked, looking over her shoulder at the professors. "Will he be okay?"

"He'll be fine," Elm replied. "He just needs to take it easy and rest."

Blue gave a relieved smile. "That doesn't sound much like Red." After a heartbeat, she asked, "What do we do now?"

"What do you mean?" Gold asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Well we can't just keep attacking them," she said in a tone that implied it was obvious. "We need a plan or something."

* * *

Yellow sat cross-legged in a chair beside Red's bed, anxiously watching the unconscious boy sleep. She clutched Chuchu, who sat in her lap, as she tried to get her thoughts in order.

It was her fault, she knew, that Red lay here now, bandaged and unconscious. She'd reacted too slowly. She'd vowed to sit with until he woke up, if only so she could tell him how very, very sorry she was.

Chuchu, feeling Yellow's distress, glanced up. The small, brightly coloured mouse shifted and nuzzled her cheek into Yellow's stomach. Absently, Yellow petted Chuchu's soft fur. She kept her gaze on Red.

Frustrated, Chuchu got Yellow's attention the only other way she knew how- with her small, sharp teeth, she delivered a quick bite to Yellow's finger.

"Ah!" Yellow's attention instantly went to the electric rodent. "Chuchu, what was that for?" Examining her finger, she could see several tiny indents. Luckily, the skin hadn't broken.

"Yellow…?"

Suddenly forgetting the pain in her finger, Yellow's head rose in surprise. Red greeted her with a grin and a slightly confused expression. "What happened?"

"Chuchu bit me!" she exclaimed, shooting said mouse a dirty look. Her mind caught up an instant later, and her eyes widened. "Red!" She threw herself at him in an ecstatic hug, throwing Chuchu off her lap in the process. Red winced, but smiled and gave her a one-armed hug in return.

Letting go, Yellow settled herself back in her chair. Chuchu hopped up on the bed next to Red, nuzzling his good hand. "How do you feel?"

"Pretty good," he replied, scratching behind Chuchu's ear. He looked over at Yellow. "How are _you_?"

Yellow blinking in surprise. "I'm fine," she said. There was a brief silence. "I'm so sorry, Red." Her voice was watery.

He had turned back to Chuchu, but his voice was firm. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Yellow. It wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was!" she cried. Tears dripped down her face as if in emphasis. "If I had moved you'd be okay!"

"But I _am_ okay."

"But you're hurt!"

"I'll get better."

"But we lost!"

"We'll win next time."

Sighing in defeat, Yellow slumped back in her chair as Red, grinning, continued to pet Chuchu. He could be so _stubborn_ sometimes. Shaking her head, she smiled for the first time in a while. Red was okay- they could at least enjoy that one small victory.

* * *

Over the past few days, Silver had done a lot of thinking. He'd had plenty of time for it- he spent hours on end in the Team Rocket building alone with his thoughts.

Mostly he thought about the kids his father wanted so badly to defeat. He'd seen two of the boys battle several days ago at the Seafoam Islands and had been impressed by their determination and effort. But his father said they were evil.

People seemed horrified at what they were doing- he'd seen it on the television. He wasn't supposed to watch the television, of course, and he did so only when his father left him alone. And it made him think.

If all those people thought what they were doing was wrong, maybe it was. The people talked about global disaster and the cruelty to the Pokémon. He'd made a mental note to ask.

* * *

After being gone most of the day, Giovanni returned to the Rocket building happy with a successful day. He rode the elevator to the top floor and exited. He swiped an identification card through a slot and opened a door. Inside Silver sat on a grey couch reading a thick book. Sneasel watched over the boy, stopping only to shoot Giovanni a dirty look.

Hearing someone enter, Silver glanced up. He marked his place in the book and set it aside. "Father," he began, "can I ask you something?"  
"Of course," the man responded, moving to sit on a chair.

"Your… plan," Silver questioned hesitantly. "Is it… right?"

"Right? Of course it is. What makes you think otherwise?" He sounded irritated, and that was never a good sign.

Silver shrugged nervously. "Never mind. Sorry, father."

Giovanni rose and stepped toward his son. "We captured Entei today," he informed the boy. "Silver, what we're doing is the _only_ solution. One day you'll see that." Casting a final look at Silver, Giovanni turned and left the room, making sure the door locked behind him.

_You'll see, Silver_, he thought, walking toward his office at the end of the hall. _If it takes as long as I live, you will see._


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome to chapter 6! Sorry for the wait! If it makes it any better, I think this one's pretty good :) Hopefully the next one will be out sooner, but no promises :)**

**Other than that, I guess there's really nothing else to say :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Days later, things were slowly improving. The injury on Red's shoulder was nearly fully healed and looked much better, and Yellow had all but stopped blaming herself, thanks to much convincing from said boy. Team Rocket had been quiet, or so they thought, and they were enjoying the rest, though they all remained on edge.

As they had done often lately, they were all gathered at Professor Elm's lab. The TV blared, though went mostly unnoticed as the group sat in thoughtful silence. There was no logical reason that Team Rocket wouldn't have attacked, especially with one of them out of commission.

"I don't _get_ it," Gold grumbled for at least the twelfth time that day. He grabbed his head in frustration. "I hate sitting here doing nothing."

Crys sighed. "It's not like we were doing much of anything anyway."

More silence, though this time it was accompanied by downcast eyes and guilty expressions. From the back room, Chuchu bounded out, followed more slowly by Yellow. Dark circles beneath her eyes and slightly sluggish movements were the only indications of her exhaustion. She'd been sitting with Red nearly non-stop since they'd returned, and it was starting to show. Despite how obviously tired she was, a bright smile beamed from her face.

She took a seat at the table and Chuchu hopped into her lap. Hopeful for some good news, Blue asked, "How is he?"

"Good," Yellow replied tiredly, though the genuine happiness was unmistakeable. "He's asleep."

Satisfied, Blue nodded. The silence continued, though now it was more contented. They relaxed, if only slightly, at the knowledge that at least one thing was improving.

Out of the corner of her eye, Blue noticed the TV switch suddenly to the news. Glancing at a clock on the wall, she noted that it certainly wasn't time for something new to be starting. With a start, she read the headline- _Team Rocket in Hoenn! _"Turn that up!"

Noticing the change in TV program, Gold reached over and turned up the volume. They all immediately turned their attention to the newscaster.

"…Hoenn," she was saying. "The attack began only about thirty minutes ago, according to most sources. Team Rocket's presence follows a recent sighting of Latias, and people are beginning to wonder if they're connected."

Ignoring the total obviousness of the statement, it took mere seconds to register what the newscaster had said.

"_Professor_!"

* * *

Green and Charizard led the way through the air. The others were scattered, though none trailed very far behind. They passed over the ocean, prompting many wide-eyed stares from sailors on boats and swimmers with their Pokémon.

Land seemed a thousand miles away, but once they reached it they knew exactly where to go. They flew north toward Fortree City, to the rainy patch just to the southeast of it. Without bothering to land, they began to release Pokémon and shout orders, hoping to catch the Rockets off guard.

It worked, if slightly. A powerful Fire Blast from Charizard was combined with a Flame Wheel from Explotaro, destroying a huge, dangerous-looking machine.

After staring in disbelief for several moments, the Rockets reacted. Waves of ruthless-looking Pokémon came toward them in huge numbers.

Several days of rest had allowed the Pokédex Holders' Pokémon a chance to regain their strength. With fierce determination they fought, attacking blindly and barely needing commands.

Hearing a cry not far away, Yellow turned. Seeing that their new opponents were distracted, several Rockets were trying to weaken Latias. "Gravvy!" Yellow cried. "Stop them!"

Turning his snakelike head, Gravvy eyed the Rockets and their Pokémon- a Salamence, and a Dragonite that Yellow found uncomfortably familiar. Curling into a ball, Gravvy rolled quickly toward them, steadily picking up speed. The momentum allowed the Rock-type to crash into the Rockets with such force that they sailed into the air, landing in a patch of marshy grass several feet away.

The Salamence and Dragonite were not impressed. They eyed Gravvy, then Yellow, trying to judge which was the real culprit. They chose both.

Flapping their small wings, the two Dragons took to the sky. Turning back briefly toward Gravvy the Dragonite opened its mouth, took a deep breath, and fired a powerful blast of energy at the helpless Pokémon. The ensuing smoke made him impossible to see.

"Gravvy!" Yellow cried, but was distracted as the Dragons neared. She let out a terrified cry, which Kitty, clutching her back, took as a signal to fly away. The Dragons, however, were faster.

Hearing Yellow's cry, Blue turned. Briefly, the other girl was nowhere to be seen. She saw Crys and Gold, battling side by side a few feet away. Green and Charizard were also close. Their other Pokémon were scattered.

Finally she saw Yellow, desperately trying to escape two Dragons. Kitty's wings flapped determinedly, and the Dragons wore malicious grins, apparently enjoying their little game.

"Yellow!" Blue shouted, catching everyone's attention. They all started forward to help, but they were unneeded.

A tall, brown-skinned Pokémon, flying with leafy wings, crashed into the Dragonite, knocking it away. A blue Pokémon with tall ears leaped from the first Pokémon's back, pushing the Salamence off course.

Yellow tried to slow her erratic breathing. Exhausted, Kitty floated slowly to the ground. "Thank you," Yellow mumbled, eyes closing. Blue was on the ground to meet her.

"Is she okay?" a voice shouted down. Slowly, the tall Pokémon- a Tropius, Blue noted- began to land. The blue one, a Swampert, bounded over from where it had landed.

"Yeah, just asleep," Blue replied. She looked up and sighed in relief, grinning at the new arrivals. "Ruby! Sapphire! It's great to see you!"

They grinned. "Come on," Ruby said, gesturing with his head. "Follow us. We'll talk back at the lab!"

In all the confusion, Latias had escaped. The Rockets, losing their chance, began to disperse. Finally, Blue thought, they'd done something right. She couldn't help but wonder, though, as they collected their Pokémon and followed Ruby and Sapphire- how long would it last?


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome to chapter seven! I'm SO sorry for the delay! This chapter has been nothing but trouble. Anyway, I suppose nobody really cares what took so long, but it wasn't ALL my fault. My Word stopped working a little while ago, but I have a new one now, so hopefully that won't cause any more problems.**

**Anyway, sorry once again, and hopefully the next one won't take so long, even though I say that every chapter :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

On the outside, Professor Birch's lab was similar to Oak's and Elm's in several respects. It was large and important-looking, with a professional-looking sign proclaiming what the building was for. On the inside, however, it couldn't have been more different.

Papers and half-empty coffee mugs were scattered all over the open bottom level of the lab. Folders lay open, the papers inside them strewn about. In short, it was a mess, and it was slightly jarring after the cleanliness they were used to.

Ruby and Sapphire led the way, leaving Pilo to go where he pleased. With an unnecessarily loud shout, Sapphire called for her father. They heard a startling crash, a muffled curse and the sound of something smashing, and Professor Birch emerged from a back room.

He gave a wide, natural grin and dusted off his jacket. "Welcome back," he greeted Ruby and Sapphire, then turned to the others. "So these are the famous Pokédex Holders!" He raised his arms in an excited sweeping motion. "What brings you to Hoenn?"

"Team Rocket," Gold replied, slipping easily back into his forgotten leadership role. "They've been… causing problems lately."

Out of the corner of her eye, Blue saw Green roll his eyes at the understatement. Holding back a smirk, she added, "We heard about Latias on the news. It figures they were planning something big after they were so quiet these last few days."

"'Quiet'?" Ruby repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"What are ya talkin' about?" Sapphire added, looking equally confused.

"Well, y'know," Blue began, suddenly feeling quite stupid, though she wasn't sure why. "They were attacking all over Kanto and Johto pretty regularly for a while. Then a few days ago, they stopped. We haven't heard anything from them."

"We have," Ruby interrupted, sounding almost offended. "They might've stopped attacking _your_ regions, but they moved here. Latias wasn't their first attack on Hoenn."

Shocked, disbelieving silence followed. All the feelings of their job well done washed away, replaced by disgust- they couldn't believe that they'd actually thought Team Rocket would give them a break. Obviously they'd take the opportunity to attack, especially with Red out of commission. The days they'd spent sitting around the lab, praising their chance to rest, was time they could've spent preparing for the next attack, discussing strategies and battle plans- and now that time was lost.

Yellow, having woken up partway through their trip to the lab, found her voice first. Her voice, though quiet, was jarringly loud after the silence. "Where did they attack before?" she asked, fearing the answer.

"Mossdeep City," Professor Birch answered. "They piled in forces and basically took over the island- perfect, really, since it's so cut off from the rest of the region. In fact, last I checked, there were still quite a few of them left there. Nobody can get in or out."

"What about the gym leaders?" Green asked. "Aren't they doing anything?"

The professor shrugged. "There's really not much they can do. You've seen firsthand they power they're capable of. Fortunately, though, they don't seem to be bothering the citizens. They started vacating the city yesterday, I think."

"But what did they want with Mossdeep City?" Blue asked. "I thought they were only after Legendary Pokémon."

"They are," Ruby said almost casually. "They went looking for Latios and Latias."

"It's rare to see them," Birch continued. "They're like mirages. So when reports of sightings began surfacing, Team Rocket was in the city within hours."

"But they got away, right?" Crys asked worriedly. "I mean, we saw Latias, but Latios got away too, right?"

"Nope," Sapphire replied, sounding sad. "They got 'im."

More silence followed her answer, filled with the Kanto and Johto Pokédex Holders silently berating themselves for believing they could be so lucky as to have the enemy give them time off.

"That's why Latias was flying around in plain sight," the professor continued quietly. "She was looking for Latios."

"Hey, where is everybody?" Ruby asked suddenly. "Not everyone's here."

Blue sighed. "It's a _long_ story." Summarizing as briefly as possible without leaving out important details, they recounted the story of the battle on the Whirl Islands, continuing on to the resulting sickness and cure, and finally kidnapping, memory loss and ongoing rescue mission- and, of course, the resurging power of Team Rocket. Gold noticed with slight irritation that Birch, Sapphire and Ruby kept shooting him sympathetic glances each time he was mentioned.

"And Red," Blue said finally, "is back at Professor Elm's lab, recovering from a shoulder injury from a battle with Team Rocket." Out of the corner of her eye, Blue saw Yellow's gaze drop in guilt as the battle was mentioned. She shot the younger girl an apologetic, sympathetic glance, though it seemed to go unnoticed.

"Well," Professor Birch said at the end, "that _is_ quite the story. And you have no idea why Giovanni suddenly wants Silver back?"

"It isn't sudden, sir," Blue muttered, sounding almost angry. "He's been working on something like thing for years. He's only just now able to put it into motion."

"Well, we'll do all we can to help," Ruby decided determinedly. "If you need anything, just let us know."

"Really?" Blue asked, a small grin appearing on her face. It was the first truly good news they'd had in a while.

"Sure," Sapphire added with a grin, showing off her small pointed fangs. "We wanna stop 'em, too!"

"Thank you," Blue said, standing. She embraced them both in a warm hug. "It really means a lot to us."

"No problem," Ruby replied, looked slightly uncomfortable, but happy all the same. Beside him Sapphire looked ready to shove Blue off of her, but she restrained herself.

"What about our Pokémon?" Gold asked, stepping forward. "They're pretty beat up from fighting Team Rocket."

"Leave that to me," Professor Birch told him. I'll take care of them."

As the professor gathered up the Poké Balls, the Kanto and Johto Pokédex Holders called Oak and Elm, informing them of the events of the day and the fact that they'd be staying overnight at Birch's lab. In the background, they could hear Red demanding to talk to them, asking why he'd been left behind. Despite everything, they smiled- some things just didn't change.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome to chapter eight! Hope this makes up for the month-long wait for chapter seven :) No idea when they next one will be up. **

**I guess I don't really have a lot to say this chapter :) I forgot to mention last chapter, though, that I'm sorry if I messed up on Ruby and/or Sapphire. Sapphire especially, because for some reason it was really hard to write her. **

**Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. On with chapter eight! :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

The return to Johto was uneventful and mostly silent. Despite the revelation that they'd wasted several days, the Pokédex Holders were coming off a well-deserved victory and a long night's rest. The Pokémon were equally recharged, and with the news that they had more help when they needed it, the day seemed brighter than it had for weeks.

Crys sat alone at the table in Professor Elm's lab, the television flickering in front of her. Vaguely, she remembered the others telling her they were going places- getting supplies or following leads or taking a walk, or things to that effect- but she chose to remain there. She felt somewhat responsible for the recent capture of Latios, and felt that the only way to prevent something similar from happening was to stay on top of Team Rocket's movements.

It seemed as though they'd vacated Mossdeep City, and they hadn't been seen in the region since- Latias had apparently gone back into hiding, and they had no reason to stay. However, that meant more forces were available for Kanto and Johto, and perhaps even Sinnoh- and who knew when Latias would show up again? There were simply too many possibilities to justify leaving the television unattended.

As if it read her thoughts, the show currently playing on the screen was suddenly interrupted by cliché newsroom music and a sharp-looking logo, and a man with short, black hair was suddenly facing the camera.

"We interrupt our currently scheduled programming to bring you this latest report," he began, his voice strong. The camera shifted to grainy, unprofessional footage of a forest. Several dozen men in black uniforms were gathered there, unaware of the spy. "Team Rocket has been spotted just to the west of Ecruteak City. It is currently unknown what they're after, though many suspect it involves the trio of legendary Pokémon frequently spotted in the area." The camera switched back to the man. "We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming."

Crys, however, was already out the door, grabbing a Poké Ball and tossing it. In a flash Natee appeared, and he obediently gripped her shoulders with his talons. Just as the pair was about to take off into the sky, a voice behind them caught their attention.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Crys whirled around, finding herself staring into the inquisitive eyes of Gold, who was just returning from a walk on nearby route 29. "…To stop Team Rocket," she mumbled, realizing how ridiculous it sounded in words.

"Let me go with you."

A pause. Then, "W-what?"

"Let me go with you," he repeated, grinning.

"You're not going to try to stop me?" she asked, disbelieving. "It's a pretty stupid idea…" Her logical side was kicking in, screaming at her to go back into the lab, or at least try to find some of the others.

"That's okay," Gold assured her, pulling out a Poké Ball of his own. "We can be stupid together."

* * *

The flight to Ecruteak City was agonizingly long to Crys, and yet tragically short. While she certainly wanted to save whichever Pokémon was the current target, she was convinced more and more each second that this was the worst idea she'd ever had. _Oh well_, she thought. _Too late to turn back now._

She and Gold made their way to the route to the west of the city, route 38. Sneaking quietly through the trees, they quickly found where Team Rocket was setting up equipment. They crouched in the shadows, listening to the Rockets speaking.

"Is that stupid thing gonna be here soon?" one of them asked, leaning against a tree. "We've been here all day."

"It'll be worth it," another responded eagerly. "After we catch Suicune, the boss'll only need Raikou to complete the set!"

Pushing down her disgust at the callous way they talked about Pokémon, Crys took a moment to register the fact that they'd revealed what Pokémon they were after. _Not Suicune!_

A rustling in the trees diverted their attention, and a blue blur suddenly streaked through the clearing. Several things seemed to happen at once- the blue creature seemed to trip a rig of some kind, which instantly activated a trap. There was a sudden, final-sounding _slam_ as the Pokémon, confused, ran inside a cloaked cage and the door closed firmly.

"_No_!" Crys cried, bursting from the trees. Within moments her entire team of Pokémon was lined up in front of her, glaring at those who dared disturb the balance of the world. Gold followed quickly behind her, and his six were added to the line. "Let it go!" she shouted, fists clenched in barely-contained anger.

Seeing that the Rockets were not about to comply, she pointed at the crate. "Mega, Solarbeam!"

"I wouldn't."

Still glaring, Crys turned her gaze toward the new voice. Instantly her anger faded and her hands fell to her sides. "S-Silver!?"

The red-haired boy emerged from the group, gazing with relative disinterest at the newcomers. Behind him, familiar looking Dragon-types looked eager to fight. "What are you doing here?"

Crys' knees felt weak, and she lost her ability to speak. She hadn't actually seen Silver since the helicopter had taken him away, and his appearance now was jarring, to say the least. He looked the same, which was upsetting in and of itself, but the cold, uncaring gleam in his eyes made him seem as though he was a completely different person. _He is, though_, Crys thought bitterly._ This isn't Silver. Not really._ He raised an eyebrow, reminding her he had asked a question. Gold, however, spoke first.

"_You're_ Silver?" he asked, disgust lacing his voice. "Not what I expected."

Silver turned his attention to his former friend. "Gold, right?" He shrugged. "I can't help what you were expecting."

Gold looked ready to launch himself at the other boy. "Don't be so cocky!"

"Stop!" Crys cried, recovering her voice. "Just stop it! You guys were best friends!" She couldn't stop the tears slipping down her face. "You can't fight. I won't let you."

The boys glared silently at each other for several moments, then Silver turned away. "I don't have time for this. I need to be getting back to Father."

"Don't just _leave_, Silver! You can't go back to him!" He ignored her. "What about Blue, Silver? She's _devastated_!" He stopped, and for an instant, Crys was hopeful that her plea had resonated with him. No such luck.

"She lied to me," Silver replied, emotionless. "Just like all of you did." And, catching a ride on the Salamence, he was gone.

Crys stared after him. Tears fell freely down her cheeks, and she didn't feel inclined to wipe them away. He'd been _so close_, and now he was gone. It was heartbreaking.

"Hey," Gold said quietly, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Where'd they go!?"

Crys turned to him, and her jaw dropped in horror. In all the shock at seeing Silver, she'd completely forgotten about their rescue mission. In the time they'd spent talking to their displaced friend, Team Rocket had escaped- taking Suicune with them.

Losing strength completely, Crys collapsed to the ground. Without hesitation, her Pokémon were gathered around her, comforting her as best as they could. It was small consolation, however, as she came to terms with the fact that two important things in her life- one a close friend and one a protector- were gone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome to chapter nine! Wow, I've never gotten chapters out this fast. I've been in a writing mood :) Um, no promises on when the next one will be ready. I have a feeling I'm going to have trouble writing it, so it might take a while :) I'll try not to take forever. **

**Anyway, on with the chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Nine

The mood among the Pokédex Holders had steadily worsened since Gold and Crys had returned, disillusioned and upset, from their confrontation with Team Rocket. The lab was quiet. They all seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, though all their thoughts revolved around the same subject. Red, ever the leader, was the one to break the silence.

"They haven't won," he said, trying vainly to instill confidence. "We just have to keep trying."

"What's the point?" Crys asked. Her eyes were trained on the floor. She was reserved and quiet, just as she had been since returning. "All we'll be doing is setting ourselves up for failure."

Red judged from the ensuing silence that the others agreed with her. They avoided his gaze, and he was beginning to get frustrated. "That's not true," he countered. "Things have looked hopeless before. But we always win, don't we? We just have to keep trying."

"Well," Blue began, "I'm certainly not giving up. It's not fair to Silver." She paused briefly in thought, then added, "Or the Pokémon, for that matter."

Red grinned, glad that at least one person agreed with him. "So that's it? Blue and I have to go save the world by ourselves?"

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Green teased with a smirk. "You'll need me there to watch your back."

Red glared playfully. "Yellow? Gold? Crys?" He glanced at each of them expectantly.

"I'll help," Yellow volunteered. Chuchu, perched in her lap, squeaked in agreement.

"Me too," Gold added, his grin matching Red's. He turned to the girl next to him. "Crys?"

"Okay," she mumbled, caving. "But if we lose, don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

They gathered the next day just outside the doors of Professor Elm's lab. They'd formed their plan soon after learning Team Rocket's next destination- if you could call charging in and hoping for the best a plan. Team Rocket was planning to capture Rayquaza at its home at the Sky Pillar, and experience had proven how dangerous awakening such a Pokémon could be.

They decided that would be the perfect place to stop them once and for all- or die trying. Off in the distance, a large shape was coming toward them, with two smaller shapes perched on its back.

"Reinforcements are here!" Red called happily, waving wildly at the approaching trainers. Within seconds Ruby and Sapphire, seated on Pilo's back, hovered above them.

"What are ya waitin' for?" Sapphire asked, grinning. "Let's go!"

The team lifted into the air and together, they were off.

* * *

"So, where is the Sky Pillar?" Red asked sheepishly once they'd been in the air for several minutes. Blue slapped a hand to her forehead.

"You're the leader!" she grumbled. "You're supposed to know!"

"It's not far," Ruby called back, hoping to avoid a fight. "Just follow us."

The island came into view soon enough. It was obvious enough with the large tower rising into the sky, but if there had been any doubt, it was erased upon seeing the mass of Team Rocket members gathered there.

"Okay," Red whispered to avoid detection. "We all attack at once. We take out as many as we can, got it?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Aero, Hyper Beam!" And at once, a shower of attacks rained down upon the island, a group of Pokémon and their trainers following.

* * *

Silver stood near his father to the right of the entrance to the pillar. Giovanni was grinning maliciously, though it was the only grin Silver had ever seen him wear. Rockets stood in various groups, setting up machines meant to detain Rayquaza and weaken it enough to transport it. Others were already inside the tower, waiting for the signal to begin the process of waking the beast.

A Rocket from one group waved, signaling that his machine was operational. Soon, others began to do the same. However, Silver was distracted by something in the sky. Turning, he saw several tiny shapes surging toward him in the air. Silently he nudged his father, then pointed.

Giovanni's grin widened slightly. "Good, let them come. They have no hope of stopping us." He watched them near. As they got closer they paused, discussing something, then a wave of attacks neared the island. Giovanni reached into his pocket, pulled out a walkie-talkie, and said something into it. At once, the various Rockets looked to the sky.

Scrambling, they moved away from the attacks raining down upon them. Seconds later, eight children landed in the dust created by their attacks. They wore matching determined glares, which were reflected by their Pokémon.

Giovanni laughed, drawing all attention toward him. "So nice to see you," he called to them. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd even bother to show up. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do. I'd suggest you leave now before I make you."

The children, however, stood their ground. "We aren't leaving," Red responded, loud and clear. "Not until we stop you and take Silver back." He pointed forward. "Aero, Hyper Beam!" With a screech, Aero opened his jaws wide, gathering the energy needed for the blast. Just as he sent it flying, an identical beam met it halfway and they exploded in midair. A Dragonite glared from near Giovanni.

"Fine," the man called, still wearing his ever-present grin. "Have it your way. Dragonite, Dragonbreath!"

As Charizard stepped forward to fend off the attack, Red backed away slightly. "Some of us need to go in there," he whispered to his comrades, indicating the pillar. "I think there are Rockets in there who are going to wake Rayquaza."

"I'm staying out here," Blue whispered back, and the unstated understanding was that she wasn't going to leave Silver. Red nodded.

"Crys and Gold, you guys stay out here, too. If anyone can convince Silver to come back, you guys can." He gestured with his head toward the pillar. "Everybody else, come with me!" They made their way across the battlefield as Blue, Gold and Crys began calling out their Pokémon.

"Red!" Green whispered harshly from beside him. "We can't leave the three of them out here alone. There're too many Rockets."

Red nodded. "Okay. Then we'll each leave a couple of Pokémon out here to help." He called out Lax and Gyara, who would be most useful in the open space of the island. Once they'd each chosen their Pokémon and given them instructions, their Flying Pokémon began the ascent to the top of the pillar. Looking at the battle raging on below, Red couldn't shake the feeling that something awful was going to happen, but he pushed it out of his mind. There was one mission now, and that was to _win_.


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome to chapter ten! This is the last chapter! It's also something like three times as long as my chapters usually are :) It's the longest one I've written! I thought this would take a lot longer, but I've just felt like writing lately. Hooray for quick updates :) It's a little bittersweet, though, 'cause these last few chapters have been really fun to write.**

**Also, a little trivia, I actually messed up the Latias part. In my chapter summaries, I wrote that she was captured, but apparently I don't pay enough attention to my notes :) It actually ended up working better this way, though. **

**Um, just to let you know, there should probably be a warning on this chapter. It's just that it would totally ruin it, so... Just be prepared :)**

**I'm actually quite proud of this chapter, but PLEASE don't hate me for the end. I hated myself a little for writing it, but it fit pretty perfectly. And I did mention first chapter that I thought a lot of people wouldn't like it, so you can't say I didn't warn ya :)**

**Anyway, more notes at the bottom.**

**Enjoy the last chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Red's feet touched the top of the pillar and the first things he saw were Rockets. Behind them loomed the monstrous, sleeping form of Rayquaza. It looked peaceful, and it was easy to forget the destruction it could cause. Red stepped forward, Saur's Poké Ball in hand.

"Stop!" he shouted, his voice ringing in the open space. He was ignored. "I said _stop_!"

"We heard ya, kid," one of the Rockets called over his shoulder. "Shut up."

Red's grip tightened on the Poké Ball until his knuckles were white. "I warned you," he muttered. "Saur! Solarbeam!"

In a flash of brilliant light, Saur appeared and immediately began charging his attack. Seconds later the beam fired, slicing cleanly through one of the machines. After a heartbeat, it short-circuited and exploded.

This caused the Rockets to turn and take notice of their opponents for the first time. The one who'd spoken earlier stood. "Watch it, kid. You're gonna hurt somebody."

"That was the plan," Red replied, never missing a beat. "Saur, Razor Leaf!"

"Flamethrower!"

A burst of flame surged forward from the mouth of a Houndoom, called out by one of the many Rockets on the roof. Red wasn't fazed, however, and called out Poli.

As had happened many times, a fierce battle began. Rockets sent out Pokémon to cover other Rockets who continued to fiddle with machines, but neither side gained any ground. There was a mess of coloured blurs, and it was difficult to tell which Pokémon belonged to which side.

"Pika, Thunderbolt!" Red called, and Pika complied, zapping a Pinsir. It was replaced instantly, and Red realized with a sinking feeling that they weren't going to win.

His fears were confirmed less than a minute later when a Rocket from across the rooftop called, "It's ready!"

Red whirled around. His eyes widened disbelievingly as he watched Rayquaza's eyes snap open. It looked furious. All motion on the pillar stopped and turned anxiously to face the beast, unable to guess what it would do. Its gaze moved slowly and carefully over the people and Pokémon gathered there, then its jaws opened. It unleashed a roar so powerful it shook the pillar to its foundation.

"Go!" Red screamed, recalling his Pokémon desperately. He could see the others do the same. He raced to the edge of the rooftop, where Aero waited. The Flying-type gripped him in his talons, and was off the pillar in an instant.

As soon as he was clear, Red spun around. Green and Yellow were close behind, and not far back from them were Ruby and Sapphire. They scrambled furiously away from the tower, which had begun to crumble. Rockets screamed, and those with Flying Pokémon tried to escape. Rayquaza began to rise, roaring, glaring maliciously at the black-clothed men. It took a breath and exhaled powerful bursts of energy, effectively ending all hope the Rockets had of escape.

"Outrage," Green commented quietly, watching the carnage disbelievingly. "How appropriate."

Red was torn between grieving for the Rockets- they were still people, no matter how evil- and returning to the ground to continue the battle. "We've gotta go," he said in a near whisper, watching Rayquaza wide-eyed. "There's still a battle going on down there."

* * *

Blue expertly ducked behind a boulder as a blast flew over her head. Not far away, she saw Gold and Crys do the same. She sighed. They were getting nowhere. Through all the dust and smoke, she couldn't even see Silver anymore, and her Pokémon were getting tired. Blasty, beside her, kneeled on one knee, lacking the strength to even stand up properly. As hard as she strained her eyes, she couldn't see any of her other Pokémon.

A voice above her commanded her attention, and she looked to the air. Red, dangling from Aero's talons, descended toward her. Close behind were Green, Yellow, Ruby and Sapphire.

"How'd it go?" she asked, noticing the haunted look in their eyes. "You stopped them, right?"

Red shook his head slowly. "They woke it up. It's a monster, Blue. All those Rockets…" He stopped, closing his eyes against the memory.

Blue looked at them sympathetically. "We're not having much luck here, either." There was an explosion that shook the ground, and Blue covered her face against the dust. "See what I mean?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it." He gave a half-hearted grin. "We came all this way, right? We can't lose _now_."

He tossed all the Poké Balls that were still full, and his Pokémon charged off, not needing orders. The others followed suit. They spread out to cover more area, always making sure not to go too far. It all came down to this.

* * *

Yellow coughed as smoke engulfed her face, waving it away frantically with her arm. Omny glanced at her, then went back to fighting the Drifblim. The balloon-like Pokémon glared with its beady red eyes, then reached out, attempting to use Constrict. Omny dodged, but was caught off guard by the Shadow Ball that came seconds later.

"Omny!" Yellow called, loosing sight of her Pokémon in the smoke and dust thick in the air. Her eyes burned and she blinked away tears. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a yellowish shell speeding toward them. It leaped into the air, and a powerful burst of water followed.

The Drifblim was knocked away, and Omny landed next to her. She hugged him, careful of the spikes lining his shell.

The Drifblim's eyes narrowed further as the girl hugged her Pokémon. Unseen, it floated slowly away, hidden by the debris in the air. Instead, it set its sights on another trainer- a boy with a cap that had just lost sight of his Snorlax.

* * *

Silver made his way into the battlefield, unnoticed by his father. He hoped to find a better vantage point from which to watch the carnage. Along the way he watched many Pokémon sacrifice life and limb for their cause. To his left was a Politoed, to his right a Blaziken. Mightyena, Raticate, Machamp, Granbull, Cubone. On and on.

A Parasect skirted around him, a Sunflora collapsed from exhaustion. A Porygon2 zapped something from the sky, and a Donphan hurtled past. They fought without thinking. They barely had the strength to stand, let alone fend off enemies. But still they fought.

A boy with a white cap rushed past him, following after a Milotic. That was when he noticed the Drifblim, floating dangerously close to a boy in a red jacket and looking none too happy. Silver made a decision.

This fighting couldn't continue anymore. He didn't care what his father said- Pokémon weren't supposed to be war machines. Stepping over a fallen Ditto that looked rather like a piece of squished bubblegum, he made his way to the boy.

This ended _now_.

* * *

Gold was crouched behind a large, protective rock, Explotaro covering his back. Crys was nearby, guarded by Arckee. You could never have too much firepower.

A voice in the distance caught his attention, and he nudged the girl next to him. "Crys," he said. "Do you hear that? It sounds like Red."

Crys, though, was looking to her left. "Oh no, Mega!" she cried. "I have to help him!" She was gone before he could protest, Arckee on her heels.

Cursing under his breath as he lost sight of her, Gold turned his attention back to the direction of the voice. He could either go to Red, who seemed to need help, or stay behind this rock with Explotaro, hoping for Crys to come back.

His choice was made quickly. "C'mon, Explotaro," he muttered. "Red needs our help."

* * *

Red glanced around himself frantically. Lax had been in front of him _two seconds ago_, but through the smoke and dust he couldn't see him. "Lax!" he called, voice hoarse. He coughed. "_Lax_!" He spun in a circle, feeling frighteningly alone. He recognized several of the Pokémon he _could_ see- there was Utaro, and over there was Green's Scizor- but none of them were his. "Lax!"

His spinning came to an abrupt stop when he found himself staring into the eyes of a Drifblim. Its eyes narrowed in what Red assumed was a malicious grin, and its body began to glow. Red realized with a sick feeling what attack it was preparing to use.

Explosion.

His feet were rooted to the spot and he felt his breathing hitch in panic. This was it. There was no way out, no way to escape the attack that would surely mean his death. And then, like a miracle, he felt the hands on his back.

A weight shoved into him, knocking him out of the way of the Drifblim. Feeling as though he was in slow-motion, he twisted as he flew, catching a glimpse of his saviour.

_No!_ his mind screamed desperately, though he was too stunned to actually speak. _Get out of the way! It'll kill you!_

Soon the figure was engulfed by smoke and dust, and Red felt himself land safely in a pair of arms- soft, squishy arms.

"Lax!" he cried, briefly forgetting about the impending disaster.

His reunion was cut short as an ear-splitting explosion overtook his senses. He witnessed a brief flash before Lax turned, shielding him with his rubbery body.

* * *

The thick, grey smoke cleared minutes later and the toll of the battle came to light. Injured, exhausted Pokémon littered the ground like fallen leaves, and the few that remained standing looked ready to collapse at any moment. Several cried weakly, but the battle was over.

The explosion had caught every participant of the battle off guard. Very few were in its direct path, but the smoke had covered a lot of ground. The Drifblim that caused the explosion was nowhere to be seen, possibly buried underneath the rubble it had helped to create.

The first thing Red became aware of was the fact that he was unharmed. He felt no pain, no discomfort. He pushed himself to his elbows, glancing around. Lax lay several feet away on his round belly, covered in dark soot- no doubt from the explosion. "Lax!" he called, his voice still hoarse. "Lax, are you okay?"

He made his way over to his fallen teammate, kneeling down next to his catlike head. Lax shifted his head, attempting a small grin. Red felt his eyes tear. "Thank you, Lax," he whispered. "Thank you so much." He pulled out a Poké Ball and allowed Lax to rest.

With one member of his team safe, Red scanned the rest of the island. His heart sank at the site of the many, many Pokémon in pain in front of him. He wished he could help each one of them, but there simply wasn't time. His eyes strained to pick out his own Pokémon, but there were too many to tell them apart.

He heard a crumbling, like rocks tumbling away, and he turned his head. Crys emerged from a pile of debris, leaning heavily on Arckee. She scanned the area briefly. Red was just about to call to her, but before he got the chance she cried, "Gold!" Red adjusted his gaze to follow hers, and to his horror, saw Gold splayed on the ground, unconscious. Explotaro lay next to him, beginning to awaken.

Crys hurried to him, kneeling on the ground next to his head. He began to twitch and his bright, shining eyes eased open. He grinned up at her. "Crys?" he whispered, voice raw. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. You're fine." Tears slid down her cheeks and she gave him a watery smile. He sat up, then suddenly winced and put a hand to his forehead. He whimpered slightly. "Gold?" Crys asked. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," he replied unconvincingly. Beside him, Explotaro stared worriedly. "Just… my head…" He let out a small cry of pain, unsuccessfully trying to keep from worrying Crys.

"Maybe you have a concussion," she said, voice rising in worry. "We need to-"

"Crys," he interrupted. "It's not a concussion." He grinned through his pain. "I think… the force of the blast… knocked my memory back."

* * *

Silver awoke to find himself staring into the blue eyes of a brunette girl in a white hat. Her clothes were dirty and torn slightly in places, but she wore a genuine grin. He sat up. As soon as he did so, the girl's arms wrapped around him.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered to him. "I'm so sorry I let this happen to you."

"No, Blue," he replied, returning the hug. "_I'm_ sorry. This is all my fault…"

Despite everything, Blue couldn't hold back a grin. Her surrogate brother was back, and everything would be fine…

Or so she thought.

* * *

Ruby and Sapphire had collected most of their Pokémon by now, and the boy even held a Raticate he thought looked familiar. They had been on the other side of the island when the explosion took place, and with merely a glance at each other, it was mutually agreed that was the place to go. So they went.

However, the smoke had been thick and it was impossible to get there, so they wandered the areas they could see. Now that the smoke was clear, they made their way to their original destination.

Ruby shook his head. "This is awful," he said quietly, and Sapphire could only nod, a big change from her normally exuberant personality. Ahead, a familiar looking boy was heading in the same direction they were, and they jogged lightly to catch up.

Green didn't acknowledge the newcomers. His mind was focused, as it always was, on his goal. Something told him it was essential that he get to the spot where the explosion had taken place. The three walked silently toward their destination.

* * *

Green, Ruby, Sapphire, Blue and Silver arrived at nearly the same time. Red nodded in greeting, grateful they were together. By this time Gold was well enough to stand, and he and Crys made their way over to the group, recalling Arckee and Explotaro.

There was silence. There were really no words. Could they call it a victory? Sure, Rayquaza had escaped, but Giovanni had, too. And the toll on the Pokémon…

"Hey," Blue said suddenly, staring at the pitiful brown bundle in Ruby's arms. "Where's Yellow?"

Ratty's ears twitched at the sound of the girl's name. The Pokédex Holders stared at each other, then glanced around the island in shock.

_No,_ Red thought. _Please, please no. _

Movement from all sides commanded their attention, and they momentarily pushed thoughts of their comrade out of their collective minds. They tensed, worried that it might be more Rockets, coming with fresh Pokémon to finish them off.

They relaxed upon seeing many familiar, albeit battered, faces. Their Pokémon made their way over to them, helping each other as needed. One group in particular, however, was particularly anxious to reach them.

Gravvy rolled by first, followed by a shell they assumed to be Omny. Dody ran as fast as his injured legs could take him, carrying Kitty, Pika and Chuchu on his back. Ratty hopped out of Ruby's arms.

They made their way to a suspicious-looking pile of rubble. Gravvy began grabbing rocks and tossing them aside, the others helping where they could. A sick realization dawned on Red, and he began to shake. His fists clenched and he stared disbelievingly as the Pokémon worked, joined by Saur and Machamp, to uncover whatever was beneath the rocks.

Or, more accurately, _whom_ever.

Blue gasped in realization, and the faces of the others indicated they'd made the same connection. Working on autopilot, Red made his way over. He kneeled down just as the girl was unearthed. He held back a sob at her condition, so broken and battered. He couldn't accurately assess the damage- he saw blood, limbs lying at unnatural angles- but he knew it was _bad_.

Her eyes opened halfway, and she game him a small smile. Ignoring the tears, he reached forward and lifted her shoulders, cradling her upper body.

"Yellow," he whispered. "Why did you do that?"

"Because you're my friend," she said. Her voice raspy, and he saw that her eyes glistened with tears. "Besides," she continued. "you saved me, remember? I was just… returning… the favour…" Her eyes closed. Her erratic breathing slowed and evened, and Red dared to hope she was just asleep.

When her chest stopped moving altogether, he realized the truth.

He heard footsteps behind him. He couldn't see clearly through his tears, but he lay the girl down as gently as he could. He got to his feet, cap covering his eyes. Yellow's Pokémon- and Pika- gathered around the girl, grieving and paying respects. The Pokédex Holders bowed their heads, doing the same.

Then Blue turned and crushed Green in a hug, sobbing into his shoulder. Crys let out a sob of her own, covering her mouth in a futile attempt to keep it in. Gold turned away, shoulders hunched. Ruby and Sapphire, who hadn't known her well, looked on in sadness. Silver looked stricken. Red continued to cry quietly, shoulders shaking.

Victory wasn't supposed to come at a price like this.

Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Red muttered, "Come on. Let's get her back." Nodding solemnly, they gathered their Pokémon. Red took the liberty of recalling Yellow's. Kitty, despite being completely exhausted, insisted on carrying her back.

Their Flying Pokémon gathered the last of their strength, desperate to be strong for their trainers. They began the journey to New Bark Town- a place of hopes, dreams and new beginnings. More than anything in the world, Red wished for a new beginning.

Time passed in a blur. They landed, and tried their best to explain what happened to Oak and Elm. They saw Ruby and Sapphire off- the two offered condolences and promised to return for the funeral. They called Yellow's uncle Wilson. The day of the funeral came and passed.

As night fell, after Yellow had been buried, Red stood away from his friends- more like family, he mused. As they left the site, crying and hugging and consoling, he silently swore that one day, no matter how long it took, he would get revenge. And it would be sweet.

* * *

**So there ya go. Hope everyone liked it, and once again, please don't hate me. I love her, too :( **

**However, it sets up the premise for the THIRD story, in which Red is a man on a mission :) Hope you'll read that one, too. Haven't decided on a title yet, but I had too much fun writing this not to go ahead with it.**

**Final word count, if anyone's interested (without author's notes): 13,815, unless I messed up. That's at least two thousand words longer than Fading Fast :)**

**So thanks SO MUCH for reading, and especially for reviewing, adding to favourites, and all that good stuff. I really appreciate it :)**

**So that's it! Once again, hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next one! Bye! :)**


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